Improvement in boat-detaching apparatus



JOHN C. GOTTINGHAIIL'OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

Letters Patent No. 108,454, dated October 18, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOAT-DETACHING APPARATUS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all 'whom fit may concern.:

Beit known that I, JOHN C. GOTTINGHAM, of the city and county ot' Philadelphia and State ot' Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Selfdetaching Hooks and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the let-ters oi reference `marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a hook, to be used in connection with a block and fall, tor lowering light or heavy weight, and is especially adapted for safely lowering a boat from its davits ina smooth or rough sea.

The construction of the hook is such that it can be .retained in place, it' desired, and arranged so as to instantly release itself from the object retained by -it the moment the weight is removed, as, for instance, when used for lowering a boat, the hooks will immediately release themselves from the ring or eye-bolts in the bow and stern, as soon as relieved of the weight of the boat, caused by the tloatation ofthe same on the surface of the wvater, thus leaving it (the boat) clear of the vessel.

The hook is also so simple in all its partsthat it is not liable to become disarranged or frozen fast, when covered with water in cold orstorm y weather.

Figure l is a side view of my improvement in selfdetaching hooks.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section ot' same.

Figure. 3 is a perspective view of the hook and the lower portion of the body.

Figure 4 is a sectional view oi a hook, showing a different forni fof catch for securing it 'in the body.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The body A ot' the hook is made in the form as shown in the drawing, and has formed in the central part, and of the proper depth, a recess, O, which terminates at the lower part into a slot, S, in which is placed and pivoted, by means of the pin P, a hook, H.

The shank K of the said hook is made ilat, so as to pass freely into the recess O, and is provided, at the upper end, and on each side with lugs L and L.

The opening N, through which the pin I passes, is made of au oblong, or any suitable shape, in order to allow theV hook to rise and fall vertically in the slot S and recess 0.

The interior of the recess 0, at the upper part, is sunk still deeper on each side from the point p to the point p', so as to form offsets and a square opening, B, through the side of the body.

Pivoted in and at the back part of the slot S is a catch, C, which engages with a notch, E, formed on the back part of the shank of the hook, so as to prevent the hook, after releasing itself, and while being raised, from drawing back into the object previously retained by it.

In securing the hook H in the body A, it (t-he hook) is turned until the lugs L and L' on the shank pass through the opening B, and then allowed to drop -down vertically until the lugs touch and bear on the osets formed on each side of the recess O; the metal M left standing in front of each of these offsets, against which the front part of the said lugs bear, will form a catch and prevent the hook from falling out of the recess, when weight is applied.

For retaining the hook in the body, a steady-pin, I, is passed through openings made in the body A directly over the upper end cf the hook, so that the pin will bear on and prevent it from raising.

The shank Kof the hook H', iig. 4, is made perfectly flat, andthe upper end made in the form of a hook,fD, which passes over a lng, G, formed in the body dA.

In this` case, the slot S' is made entirely through the body from the point (l to the lower end of same, with the lug G extending across it. j

`The hook is also provided with any suitable shaped slot, N', in the shank, and the body A with a steadypin and a catch, C', which engages with a notch, lil', on the shank of the hook.

If desired, the slot N or N can be formed in the lower part of the body, and. the pin P secured in the shank of the hook.

Then the hook is used for lowering any weight, the moment such weight is relieved from it, owing to its reaching the ground-surface, or, in case of a boat, the water-surface, the resistance on the lower side ot' the hook will 'cause it to rise vertically in the recess or slot formed in the body, until the lugs L and L' are ,released from the o'setls, when'it (the hook) will instantly dropdown in the position, as shown in iig. 3, and relieve itself from the object previously retained by it.

Then power is again vapplied for the purpose of raising the hook, the catch C will engage itseltI in the notch E, on theshank ot the hook, and support it in the position, as shown in iig.2; that is, preventing it from dropping down in the recess, so that, in case itshould be drawn back into the object previouslyI retained, it will turn down in the position as shown in fig. 3, and again'release itself.

Having thus described lmy invention, its construcl. The arrangement of the body A, catch C,

steirdy-pu P', hook H, provided with lugs L and In testimony whereof, I have hereuto signed L',vnotch E, slot; N, and piu P, so as to operate as my name in the presence of two subscribing wit- :md for the purpose specified. messes.

2. The arrangement of the body A', lug Gr, catch Y JOHN C. COTTINGHAM. C', steady-pin P', hook H', provided with a, hook, XVitxlesses: D, notch E', slot N', :md piu P', so as to operate ISAAC R. OAKFORD, substantially as and for the purpose specified. GEO. E. NICHOLS. 

